


One Day Like This

by rosewaygardens



Category: The Outer Worlds (Video Game)
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Movie Night, Rating May Change, Slight Canon Divergence, i like to think he eventually trusts you enough to leave the glass room, netflix and chill but in space, phineas never leaves his lab in game but
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21521683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosewaygardens/pseuds/rosewaygardens
Summary: Natalia Starlight and her adventures through space. This is slightly canon-divergent. Rating subject to change as the story progresses. Work title is inspired by the song One Day Like This by Elbow.
Relationships: Phineas Welles/Female Captain, Phineas Welles/Female OC, Phineas Welles/Original Character(s), The Captain/Phineas Welles
Comments: 9
Kudos: 50





	1. Chapter 1

Natalia stood on the landing dock in the orbital lab, the engines pulsing continuous waves of warm air and driving away the chill of space. It was about 2am, and she had tossed and turned since midnight before finally deciding that sleep just wasn’t going to happen. It wasn’t out of the ordinary. She leaned against the safety railings, gazing up at the twinkling stars and asteroids that passed by, enjoying the constant hum of machinery. It wasn’t long until she heard approaching footsteps, and turned to see Phineas walking towards her, a questioning look on his face. She only smiled and turned back to the void of space as he joined her at the railing. After a moment she spoke.  
  
“You know, back on Earth, I used to gaze up at the stars and think of all the things that were out there. I used to hate the idea of being stuck on one planet forever and now...I actually miss it. Little things. Things that had never seemed important until I realized I could never see it again.” She gets a far away look on her face. “The old oak tree in the center of town or the way the ivy grew up the side of my house. Cats laying out in the sun during summer.” She smiles sadly and glances at Phineas, who was watching her intently. She feels a blush creep across her cheeks. “Sorry. I don't mean to ramble.”  
  
Phineas turns to face her.  
  
“By all means, continue rambling. I enjoy hearing about a place I’ve never seen from one of the few people who are alive to have lived there.” Natalia smiles, then her brow furrows.  
  
“Never seen it? Like, ever?” she says in disbelief.  
  
“No. No one in the colony has ever seen what Earth looks. Although, I suppose it's possible that some of the higher ranking Board members have.” 

Natalia pushes off the safety rail, a grin spreading across her face. She starts back towards her ship.  
  
“Come on, I’m going to show you the Earth.” She stops halfway up the ramp and turns to look at him, still in the same place.  
  
“How do you propose you’re going to do that?” He raises one bushy eyebrow at her and looks like he might be questioning her sanity. “Surely you know that this ship can’t make a journey like that.”  
  
Natalia scoffs. “No silly, I know better than that. After I brought the Hope here I collected my belongings from the storage bay. We weren’t allowed to bring too many things, but I did manage to fit my favorite movies in one storage book. One of those happen to be a very good nature documentary.” She turns and ascends the rest of the way up the ramp and into the ship. Leaving him the choice of following or returning to his lab.   
  
Phineas follows. He had never been in the Unreliable before and wasn’t sure what to expect. It was surprisingly normal, save for the three cows in the cargo bay, which the ships computer bemoans the presence of when Natalia enters. ADA greets him, but he could swear he could hear a touch of disdain in her voice. He follows Natalia up a flight of stairs to the Captain’s quarters. Her quarters had an enormous window on the far wall, and were filled with all sorts of strange things he assumes she collected during her travels. An actual bed was shoved into a corner, with 10 or so pillows piled on it. As Natalia rummages in a large storage container on the far side of the room, Phineas amusingly notes the huge sign bolted to the ceiling. 

When Natalia finally finds what she’s looking for, she turns to see Phineas gazing out the window at the planet below.  
  
“You must have a spectacular view wherever you go.” He says.  
  
“Like you wouldn’t believe.”  
  
She crosses to her desk and flips through the case until she finds what she’s looking for. She pops the disc into her terminal and joins him at the window.  
  
“Terra 2 looks a lot like Earth from orbit.” she says. “ Except we didn’t have rings. Or asteroids.” She gives him a questioning look of her own. “Just out of curiosity, when was the last time you were on an actual planet?” 

A tiny hint of a smile creeps across Phineas’ face. “Not quite as long as you’re imagining, but I do my best to avoid leaving the lab. What with being wanted and all.” 

“Well we'll just have to fix that."

Natalia leaves the window and goes to sit on the ships built-in bed, that she had converted into a couch. She had been adamant about not sleeping on it, insisting on a “real” bed. It made her feel spoiled and rude, but the first few nights spent sleeping there had hurt her back so badly that she could hardly get up the next morning.

  
“ADA, theater mode please.” The window shields close, the signs flicker off and a projector descends from the ceiling that flickers to life across the darkened window. It was a new command she had programmed ADA with, specifically to watch movies and aetherwave programs without distractions. She had however, left the windows uncovered when she had shown the crew _Star Wars,_ because what was more magical than watching _that_ film in _space_? As the opening music starts, Natalia settles back into the couch.

~

Natalia isn’t sure when she fell asleep, but the repeating menu screen music is what wakes her up. She remembers pausing half a dozen times to explain something to Phineas, and a couple times trying nonchalantly to hide her face when she got choked up at certain shots of the Earth. 

_Where was Phineas anyway?_ She didn’t remember when he left but she was much too tired to think too hard about it. Refusing to move, she slurs her words when she asks ADA to turn off the display and relaxes further into the couch that was much warmer and more comfortable than usual. It wasn’t until the couch shifted under her that she realized it had also been lightly snoring up until she spoke. 

“Oh. Forgive me, this is, ah...quite awkward.” Phineas says, sounding embarrassed, and shifts under her. “I should go.” 

Natalia hums in response, still half asleep. “You don’t have to go.” She mumbled into his shirt. “Stay and get some rest, I _know_ you won’t sleep in your lab.” 

Phineas chuckles softly, and after a moment, brushes his fingers through her hair, which has grown considerably since she woke from cryostasis. “Aren’t you at all worried about what your crew will say when they discover you’ve spent the night with an old man?” 

Natalia opens her eyes for the first time, specifically so she can roll them. “You aren’t _that_ old Phin.” 

She tries very hard not to blush when he stops stroking her hair and brushes a thumb across her cheek. 

“I’m plenty old.” He says seriously, and doesn’t meet her eyes. His hand falls from her cheek. 

_Damn._ The mood had darkened but she _was_ curious. She smirks and says playfully, “Oh yeah? How old?” 

He gives her a sharp look and her grin spreads further. “How old Phin?” 

Phineas sighs, knowing that she’ll pester him for weeks if he doesn’t answer now. “Sixty-two.” 

Natalia laughs. “That’s it?! You wouldn’t even qualify for a senior discount at most diners back home!” Try as he might, Phineas can’t keep the scowl on his face when she laughs. 

“Diners?” 

She laughs again. “Don’t tell me you’ve never had diner food?” She shifts so she’s curled against his side instead of having her whole weight directly on him. “Okay, you’re staying here and getting some sleep. When we wake up I’m making you breakfast. Classic diner breakfast, or at least as close as I can get.” 

She closes her eyes and snuggles into his chest. Phineas opens his mouth to protest but Natalia cuts him off. 

“Shh. Don’t argue. To hell with the crew if they’ve got anything to say.” 

“Yes but-“ he starts. 

Natalia pushes herself up just enough to look him in the face. 

“I want you to stay.” 

Phineas starts to say something, then closes his mouth. Her face isn’t teasing or amused, she’s serious. He sighs, but it’s not an annoyed sound.

“Alright. I’ll stay.” 

Natalia smiles and rests her head back on his chest. She feels Phineas’ arms wrap around her and can’t suppress the butterflies that flood her stomach. It makes her feel bold. 

“Next time though, we’re using the bed.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalia is the target of some good natured teasing, and then we get back to that fluffy shit.

It was around noon when they had woken up, and Natalia had every intention of keeping her promise of making an “authentic earth diner” breakfast. She had, however, overestimated the ability of the corporations to provide food that actually matched her needs. After spending two hours making the dining area an absolute mess and, much to Phineas and the rest of the crew’s amusement, vowing to destroy the Board for the inconvenience, she finally gave up.

With SAM vigorously tidying the disaster she left in her wake and ADA warning her of a low fuel supply and a “very urgent fertilizer delivery,” Natalia and her crew said their goodbyes to Phineas. After departing the docking bay and giving ADA the go ahead to make for the Groundbreaker, Natalia joins the crew upstairs. The kitchen is nearly back to normal, except for the lingering smell of burnt raptidon. Felix and Parvati are talking animatedly about the latest episode of _Terror on Monarch_ , Ellie is in her cabin fixated on her terminal, and Max and Nyoka pass a bottle of Spectrum Vodka between them while the vicar reads. 

The aetherwave conversation fades as Nat makes her way into the kitchen, opening the fridge with the intent of finding something bubbly yet non-alcoholic. As she pulls a bottle of purpleberry juice out, Felix pipes up behind her.

“Hey, boss!” 

“Yeah, Felix?” She asks as she searches for a bottle opener. 

“Uh...me and the crew...we were wondering…” Felix trails off and looks desperately at Parvati, whose cheeks turn pink. Ellie slips out of her cabin and leans against the doorframe.

“OH! Well. You know, we wanted to know if ...if…” Parvati trails off as well, and Natalia, having given up her search, braces the juice against the counter and pops the top. Nyoka sighs as Natalia takes a long drink. 

“Oh for Law’s sake.” She says, turning in her chair to face Nat. “Are you fucking Doc Welles or what?” 

Natalia chokes, inhaling her drink. She coughs violently as the carbonated liquid floods her sinuses and leaks out her nose. Her nasal cavity feels like it’s been set on fire, and she glares at Nyoka through teary eyes. Nyoka erupts into a fit of laughter and Ellie joins her. 

“No.” Nat manages to choke out, voice hoarse. “Why. Why would you ask me that?!” Nat dries her mouth on her sleeve and swipes at the tears that had spilled down her face.

“Law, you should’ve seen your face!” Nyoka and Ellie’s laughter is joined by Felix, and then Parvati, and Natalia momentarily considers kicking them off the ship when they reach Groundbreaker. Max turns to her, a smile playing on his lips. “Oh come now, you know perfectly well why they asked. Welles spent the night with you. One can only assume that-“ 

Natalia cuts him off. 

“You can assume nothing! Nothing happened! We were watching a film and we fell asleep. That’s it!” She can feel her face turning red, feeling like the time she had come home at 3am when she was 14 and her parents had questioned her for an hour, convinced she had been out with a boy. She had actually been hanging out in a graveyard with her friends, trying to hide from each other behind the gravestones. The game had only ended when one of them fell into an open grave that was set up for a funeral the next day, and the other two had to pull her out. 

“I'm not... I couldn't ...” Natalia is at a loss for words. Ellie gives her a smirk. 

“So you’re not but, you _want_ to.” Her eyes sparkle mischievously. 

Natalia sputters at that for a moment, feeling the blush creep down her neck, before she can no longer help herself and joins the laughter. She even hears a chuckle or two from the vicar. Eventually it dies down and soon the only sound is Nyoka’s hiccuping. Parvati shifts in her spot at the counter. 

“Gosh, Captain. Isn’t he too-“ 

“Do NOT say ‘too old for me’ Parvati. I’m 94 years old.” 

Max snorts and mutters something about “technicalities” before turning back to his book. Natalia takes a small sip this time, in case anyone else had any bombs to drop.

“Seriously though. Nothing happened. And nothing WILL happen, it’s not like that. Phineas is much too polite to even _consider_ something like that.”

Nyoka scoffs at that, and Ellie turns towards Natalia. 

“Awww it’s so cute how you’re on a first name basis with him.” She teases, and flutters her eyelashes. Her voice drops into a poor imitation of the Captain. “ _Oh, Phineas! Thank you for saving me from my eternal sleep. Without you I would’ve been a popsicle forever! You’re my hero! Kiss me!”_ She turns and dramatically falls into Felix’s arms, hand draped across her forehead. Felix grins and makes kissy noises at her, and they dissolve into giggles. Natalia sighs and rolls her eyes before grabbing another bottle of purpleberry juice and heading down to the cockpit. 

~ 

The next few weeks were spent going back and forth between Terra 2 and the Groundbreaker on jobs. They needed supplies for the crew and fuel to make the trip to Byzantium. When they weren’t docked on the Groundbreaker, they were docked at the orbital lab. Sometimes, Phineas would come aboard to join them for a meal but no one except for Natalia ever left the ship. 

Since they had fallen asleep together on the couch, casual touches became much more frequent between Phineas and the Captain. When she visited him in his lab one or the other would usually have a hand lingering on a shoulder, or legs touching if they were sitting. 

Sometimes Natalia would doze off in a chair, and Phineas would shake her awake and settle her in his bunk before resuming his work. A couple times a week Phineas would come aboard the Unreliable to watch a new film she wanted to show him, and they’d spend the evening curled up in her bed. Usually he would wake before her, and quietly bid her farewell before returning to his lab. Once or twice she woke before him and spent a few minutes watching him sleep peacefully before passing out again. 

And finally the day came where they were ready to depart for Byzantium. Everything was packed into the cargo bay, now free of cows, they had a good stock of food and full fuel tanks. Natalia tried to think of any excuse to stay, but came up short. The crew settled in their cabins and ADA asked if Nat wanted to set their course.

“Not yet. I have to tell Phineas that we’re ready to leave.” He wouldn’t join them of course, he couldn’t, but she didn’t want to up and leave with no explanation. Especially since Phineas would want to know that she was finally ready to retrieve those chemicals. As she turns to leave, she’s certain she sees ADA’s display roll her eyes. She wonders if her dislike for Phineas has anything to do with her previous captain planning on turning Welles in. 

When she gets to the lab, Phineas is in the glass room. It was never locked now and Nat stops to give Bubbles chin scratchies before heading into the rest of the lab. The computer would’ve let him know she was coming, but she knocks on the doorframe and calls to him just in case he hadn’t heard it. He answers from a table towards the back of the room where he’s sat tinkering with something. Natalia joins him, leaning over the chair and wrapping her arms around his shoulders from behind.

“Whatcha workin’ on doc?” She peers over his shoulder to see a rifle taken apart and spread across the table. “New gun modification?”

“Yes. I’m changing the damage type to N-Ray.”

“Oooh fancy.” 

Phineas sets his tools down and leans back into her embrace.

“I’m glad you like it, because I was planning on giving it to you.” He admits, sheepishly. 

“Awe, Phin!” She hugs him closer and leans her head against his. “Thank you. I love it already.”

Phineas laughs lightly. After a minute she pulls back, bringing her hands up to rest on his shoulders. When she starts kneading he suppresses a moan, but can’t stop the pleased hum in his throat as he relaxes into her touch. Natalia works his shoulders until her hands are too sore to continue, and lets her arms hang down across his chest. She leans her head against his again and absently fiddles with a button on his coat.

“We’re all packed and ready to leave for Byzantium.” She says softly.

“Oh, that’s wonderful! The final stage of our plan is finally in motion.” Natalia only hums in response.

“You’re nervous.” He points out.

“Yes.”

Phineas chuckles and takes the hand not worrying at the button between his. “Don’t be. You’ll do just fine. Between you and your able crew you have absolutely nothing to worry about.” 

Natalia sighs deeply.

“I know, you’re right. You’re always right.” She starts to pull away, but despite his reassuring that everything would be fine, she can’t help but think that it could be the last time she ever sees him. It’s entirely possible she might die during this mission. So she turns her head to the side and softly presses her lips to his temple. 

“I’ll see you in a few days.” She whispers, and lets her hands linger on his chest longer than she should before finally pulling away, and making her way back towards her ship. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so going with my canon divergence, youll notice that the crew goes to Byzantium AFTER bringing the Hope to the oribital lab because it makes more sense for my story  
> ALSO fun fact: the graveyard story is actually a true story


End file.
